Some observers lament World Series games running nearly 4 hours

Snacking on chicken at a picnic table near section 402, decked out in his curly W cap and pullover, Bob Batwinis hoped to see a lot at Game 4 of the World Series. Exciting plays. A Washington win.

And maybe, just maybe, on this evening at Nationals Park, the final out sometime before midnight.

“It’s an embarrassment that baseball has turned into a marathon that kids can’t watch,” the retired school teacher said Saturday. Not just kids, either.

Baseball is a sport of stats, and here’s one that nobody enjoys seeing: So far, Fall Classic games are averaging 3 hours, 54 minutes.

“When you get to the World Series, every pitch and every decision is going to be more magnified. They’re more important now, so they’re going to take a little more time,” former manager Jim Leyland said at Houston batting practice Saturday.“But … they’re dragging on a little too long.”

There are reasons. The break between half-innings is 2 minutes, 55 seconds, up from the 2:05 for most regular-season games. Alex Bregman, Juan Soto and the hitters want more time outside the batter’s box to get steady. Josh James, Fernando Rodney and the relievers need an extra moment to compose themselves. Plus, nonstop pitching changes.

Looming is the possibility of record-low television ratings as fans either tune away or nod off.

Even at Nationals Park and Minute Maid Park, there have been plenty of empty seats at the end.

“I know a lot of it has to do with TV, commercials and things of that nature. We’ve got a 3-minute in-between,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said.“So it is what it is.”